New entry in the forum. Which vintage: 625, 345 or 1997?

[.Ste]

Hi,
I'm Stefano, a new forum member from Italy.
In 2004 when I was 19 I worked all summer to buy my first rickenbacker, a 620. I had a lot of electric guitar, but only this one remained with me, I absolutely love it.
Here some pics...



I played all kind of music with her and I had wonderful experience with a great band, "the Temponauts"...we played original jingle jangle music and had some live in Liverpool at the Cavern. It was a great experience. Now I don't play anymore with these guys, but they are still on stage with wonderful Rick music!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2jFEZK85Ck

The 620 is so rock that also my cat can't resist..


Going on topic, I'd like to celebrate 10 years with Rickenbacker with a vintage Rick, I was looking to mid 60's instrument and 3 ones in particular had my attention.
I'll post them here to have your opinion in terms of collectability, price, condition...
They are instruments with different characteristic..

One is a '65 625. I love the look of this solid body and I will be veary pleased to have a brother for my 620, but my fear is to have two instruments with too many similar features. By an aesthetic point of view this one is the one I love.
I can get it for nearly 3800 dollars.. It should be all original with OHSC, only one tuner botton has been changed.
Here's the link.
http://www.jayrosen.com/catalog/index.p ... nt_id=3430&


Another one is a '67 345, I love the idea to have a semi hollow guitar, I may play it also unplugged.
It comes for little more than the 625, at around 4000 dollars.
Here's the link. Love this fireglo and the 3 toasters.
http://rocknrollvintage.com/products/19 ... reglo.html

The last one is a Rose Morris 1997 from '67 that is listed here in Italy by a private seller, it is more or less the equivalent of 4000 dollars.
I think that from a collectors point of view this one could be the best, the good thing is that I can buy it directly from the seller without shipping (but a trip of 450 miles x 2), the bad thing is that I've any warrantee that it is all original because it is not a professional seller.






if you'll have to choose one wich one will you pick up with you?
What do you think about pricing, conditions?

If you have others offers or proposals let me know..

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Stefano

[.Ste]

I'm sorry, I wanted to post the topic in the vintage forum, but I did something wrong and it is in the new ones area.

If possibile please move it to the right forum, thank you very much admin.

[collin]

Something strange about the 1997 (it's actually a 345S -not a Rose Morris import). The finish color is much more red around the soundhole than most, but it could be the photo since red is hard to photograph. Looks nice overall.

All three are priced high - the 1997 isn't such a bad deal if it's all original. Both the 345 and the 625 are each priced at least $1k over their current value, maybe even more on the 625. Out of the three, I'd buy the '67 345 - looks like a nice guitar.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with.

[.Ste]

Thank you very much Collin.

I also found the 1997 strange and asked more detailed pictures to the seller, with better light and I'd like to see inside the serial number of the pot.

If the 345 and the 625 are priced so high I prefer to wait for better occasion, I'm not in hurry. Maybe something will bump up from the marketplace in the future..

Just few other questions, why is the 1997 a 345s and not a Morris import? How can you understand this?

And the fretboard are all indian or brasilian in 60's Rick?

[collin]

Sorry, they are Rose Morris imports, just the last iteration of the model with silver-topped knobs and soundhole in different position.

These were almost exclusively shipped to Italy along with a 4005 bass equivalent and a handful of 360/12 -type models with strange blanking/filling in the octave string routes (to convert them to six-string). Odd models in Italy!

[.Ste]

And what about this one?
https://reverb.com/item/267133-rickenba ... 6-mapleglo

The wood of the body is wonderful!

[.Ste]

Maybe it was originally a 365, but the vibrato was replaced with the "r" tailpeace.

[knavel]

I've never played any 600 series model, but I have read that some of them--maybe all--at least the modern ones, have more width at the nut. If that is the case with vintage (and hopefully someone can help) that may be something to consider, since if your blue Rickenbacker has that wider nut you might be surprised when the Rose Morris or the 345, etc, shows up.

I have an early 60s 365 restoration project going on. When that guitar shows up in Italy (where I live) then depending, I might be selling my current 1966 365. It's not something that will happen soon, but if you don't end up getting one elsewhere and think about it, check in with me in 6-12 months. You would have not to mind belt wear on the back though-but the guitar is already in Italy.

Collin that was interesting to read about an export series that went to Italy in the 60s. A Rose Morris/Rose Morris style model is something that always gets my engines going. I expect it's very much because I am a Pete Townshend fan.

Edit: Nice song! If you live near Cuneo and want to get back into playing call me!

[jdawe]

I've never played any 600 series model, but I have read that some of them--maybe all--at least the modern ones, have more width at the nut. If that is the case with vintage (and hopefully someone can help) ...

The 650 and 660 have the wider neck, but the 620 neck is the same width as those on the 330 and 360. AFAIK this has always been the case -- there have been changes to the neck profiles over the years, but the width at the nut has remained constant.